Students at Orion Oaks Elementary School celebrated March Reading Month in part by gathering and donating nearly 1,000 books to LeBaron Academy in Pontiac, a K-5 school.
The project was spearheaded by parent Deb Loscher, and her daughters Shanna and Katie. Katie is a fifth-grader at Orion Oaks.
Students brought in books all during the month of March, for a total of 800 books. Local businesses got involved as well, with Great Lakes Athletic Club offering a free month’s membership in April for those donating 10 books.
Deb said their goal was to collect two books for each student at LeBaron, where there are just over 350 students.
‘Every year the kids do a service project,? she said. ‘We wanted to do a book drive for an elementary school, and we heard that schools in Pontiac needed books.?
The books, organized and boxed according to grade level, were delivered to LeBaron at the end of March. The academy is located just off Joslyn.
‘We had all kinds of books, but mostly story books,? Deb said, adding that the Orion Oaks Leadership Council is continuing the book drive into April.
‘Books are still coming in,? said Deb.
Orion Oaks Principal Brian Kaplan said the book drive fit in well with the kinds of values the school tries to instill in its students.
‘We talk about taking care of other people,? he said. ‘We hadn’t done a book drive before, but we always try to have reading activities in March.?
Deb said the teachers at LeBaron were skeptical that Orion Oaks would be able to gather as many books as was their goal.
‘Orion Oaks has been really helpful in giving us resources,? she said.
Anyone who would like to donate books during the month of April, may leave them in the drop-off box just inside Orion Oaks Elementary on Joslyn Road, or contact the school at 393-0010 for more information.